The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-03-26

| tell him sO!'
"You would like to do a very unciyll
thing, my young spitfrer' retorted Uncle
Abner inpervious alike to passion or tears.
''Dut all that is begging the question. Are
YOU disposed to retract your foolish decis-
ion, and marry my young friend, Mr."
Don't tell me his name--I don't want
even to hear itr' interposed Luda, eKcit-
edly. ~ don't want to think that such a
creature exists I'll go to boarding school
to a oonvent--to a dungeon, and stay
there all the rest OF my life, sooner than be
a party to any such heartldss and merccn-
AIRY transaction"
VERY goodP r. said Uncle Abner, COM
pose1ly. "You may set about packing
| your trunk at once, as shall write to-day
to the proprietor of young ladies' se:nin-
airy at Oakdale, telling her to expect you by
the latter end of the week.
And Uncle Abner rose to go to his Ii
brarS, while Luda, darted off TO her own
room, to indulge in the feminine consola-
tion Of a good cry"
|
said few DAYS later, as his niece, attireG
in a silver-graY travelling costume, with a
jaunty little hat tipped with scarlet wing
resting upon her ripplng hair, stood on the
porch ready to depart; "a note to me at
any time, stating that you are willing to
comply with my wishes in this matter, will
end your incarceration, as you please to
term 1t; and l hope. for your own sake, that
you may be disposed 20 write such letter
before very long. Goodbye, my dearr'
Goodbye Luda murmured family,
almost on the point of breaking down at
the moment, for she dearly loved the rugged
old uncle who had petted and spoiled her
ever since the death of her parents, ten
years before, had left her to his care.
"This was the first unknd thing he had
ever DONE" she told herself, with a little
involuntary sob, as the train bore her
swiftly away, land il was just breaking her
heart to leave him and the dear old home"
"a pretty figure I'll cut" she went on
resentfully, 'going TO boarding-school,a after
having finished my education, as | sup.
posed. l don't believe there'll be pro
fessor' in the whole establishment who will
know much more than do, and that's
precious little. although don't count my
sell Ounce by any means.
"lf there is a single Good-looking one
among them I'll flirt with him within an
inch of his life, and make existence such a
burden for the rest of them that they'l' be
glad to send me home at the end of three
months"
GLOW do you do, my dear?" was the
bland greeting of Madame Bovant as her
new pupil alighted from the hack in front
of the seminary. 81 am delighted to see
you, Miss-Miss-excus me! your guard
ian's handwriting is somewhat peculiar, and
did not catch the name exactly"
"Miss Vernon said I.ilda promptly, ad-
ding soTro vocE, III have TO submit to
exile, l will at least avail myself Of the adj
vantage of an INcoGNIrIo, thanks to Uncle
Abner's scratch hand.
"Ah--Miss Vermont smiled Madame
Bovant. "Ynur room is al! ready, aud l
hope you will hp very happy here. We
have only the very best class of young
ladies, AMI Oar professors are all perfect
gentlemen"
Luda offere4 no reply, but made little
grimace behind her hand as she denurely
followed the madame to her room.
"Young ladies'" announced the princi-
pal the following morning to the assembled
scheol, 81 have the pleasure to introduce
to you you new professor of languages, Ar.
Vondy."
4 tall, well-made young man of pleas
ing countenance. but with Ills eyes con.
ccaled by pair of coloIed speotRcles. rose
bore the battery Of bright eyes leveled upon
him for moment, then with graceful
bow resumed his seat. and the hum OF les
SONS began, In no way interfering, however
with the silent criticisms each pupil was
passing upon the new teacher.
Il know shall hate him." was Luda''
secret comment. "He looks like a regular
old prig. | don't believe he knows an,
language but his own, or that any too well
doubt il he can conjugate Latin Yerl
as well as l can, and as for French ant
German, I'll wager anything can talk al
around him."
Notwithstanding her boastful assertion
however, Professor VondY found occasion
to correct her three times during his frs
lesson to the class, and did it with an air o
quiet authority which reused the youn!
lady's ire to Il white heat, and made he
resolve to single him out as the object o
her most pronounced and inveterate anti
pathy.
Miss Verreine kept her resolution with
fidelity worthy of better cause, but with
result entirely different in every respeo
from the one she had anticipated.
/ Neither her capriclous willfulness In tn
schoolroom, nor her cold disdain out of il
5 appeared to make the least impression upol
= the young professor.
His customary demeanor toward hi
pupils was kind and courteous, although
somewhat formal; but when reproof wa
r necessary, it was administered with an I'm
hinchlng frmness, and even severity
a need be, that made the culprit feel yer
I conscious OF the misdemeanor that ha
evoked il, and made all save the most in
e corrigible exceedingly loath TO incur II
e second time.
Even Luda, although disposed to be dc
S iiant and rebelllous on general principles
r soon forbore to provoke any open rebnkc
o hut contentcd herself with maintainin
= what she termed taeitly understood guel
lila warfare against the obnoxious profe'
h sor.
b Once, however, she astonlshed herse
g and electrified her classmates, by presen
I. ing such an cNoenilonnllY perfect lessor